The U.S. Marine Corps has launched a new training program aimed at rapidly increasing the number of small unmanned aircraft system operators as it expands the use of commercial off-the-shelf attack drones across the force.
According to the service, the program addresses the need for standardized training as it moves to integrate new systems, including the Neros Archer first-person-view (FPV) attack drone, and prepares for expanded investment in multiple drone technologies.
The initiative builds on efforts over recent months to scale FPV attack drone capabilities across the Fleet Marine Force.
Developed by the Training and Education Command, the new framework establishes six pilot courses and eight certifications intended to standardize training for drone operators across the Marine Corps. The courses are designed to provide foundational skills applicable to a range of small unmanned aircraft systems.
“We are fielding these courses as pilot programs to move quickly while maintaining our commitment to quality training and safety,” Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, commanding general of the Training and Education Command, said in a statement.
Watson explained that the pilot approach will allow the Corps to evaluate prerequisites, instructional methods, resourcing, and certification standards before incorporating the curriculum into long-term training.
The six approved pilot courses will certify Marines while testing course design and instruction. Training tracks include drone operators, payload specialists, and instructors, with prerequisites such as simulator experience on Training and Education Command-approved systems. The courses are intended to support proper integration and supervision of new drone capabilities.
Training and Education Command has also established a process to grant certifications through exceptions to policy for Marines with existing qualifications and experience.
Seven organizations have been designated as regional training hubs with the authority to immediately begin conducting pilot courses. These include schools within Training and Education Command, 1st Marine Division, 2nd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Marine Forces Special Operations Command.
The Weapons Training Battalion at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., will serve as the interim central hub. The battalion will be responsible for standardizing training, certification, and safety across the force, consolidating lessons learned and adapting training to emerging platforms, payloads, and operational requirements.
The new program directly aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to field tens of thousands of attack drones across service components beginning in March 2026, with numbers expected to grow over the following years across the Defense Department – rebranded as the War Department by the Trump Administration.
Over the coming months, the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team, Weapons Training Battalion, and regional hubs are expected to certify hundreds more Marines. By May 2026, the Corps plans for all infantry and reconnaissance battalions and littoral combat teams to be equipped to employ FPV attack drone capabilities.